Envelope



May 30, 1967 F. L. CASTANEDA ETAL' 3,322,329 x ENVELOPE Filed Oct. 20, 1965 FEDERICO L. CASTAWEDA ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofitice 3,322,329 ENVELOPE Federico L. Castaneda and David Castaneda, both of 2144 SW. 23rd Terrace, Miami, Fla. 33145 Filed Oct. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 498,563 2 Claims. (Cl. 229 ss) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in envelope construction. More particularly, the invention relates to a mailing or storage envelope having improved means to effect separation of the end structure for ease in removing the contents.

Pull-apart envelopes and paper envelope constructions having exposed perforations or lines formed of serrations have long been known, but have not proved to be gen erally acceptable since the exposed perforations are subject to damage in handling and frequently such envelopes will tear apart prematurely. Another problem in prior art constructions was the inherent possibility of damaging or destroying the contents in tearing apart the flap. The primary object of this invention is to provide an envelope with means to facilitate the opening thereof and the extraction of the contents therefrom.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an envelope which may be sealed in the conventional manner by folding over the top closure flap and which has provision for quickly opening the same from the side.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an envelope construction, bearing the above objects in mind which is of durable construction may be readily manufactured by mass production techniques and is all times efficient and durable in use and is relatively inexpensive to produce.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of an envelope constructed according to the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an envelope blank constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the left hand side from the rear of a partially assembled envelope with the side panel open prior to complete assembly;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the side panel in sealed position; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4, but showin the envelope having the top closure flap sealed and having been opened for removal of the envelope contents.

Reference is now made more specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein the envelope of the present invention is designated generally at 10.

The envelope includes a generally elongated rectangular front panel 11 and a generally elongated rectangular back panel 12 adapted to overlie each other when the envelope is assembled as shown in FIG. 1, and being integrally connected along one of the longer edges thereof by a fold line 13 which constitutes the bottom edge of the assembled envelope.

If desired, the front panel 11 may be provided with a conventional window opening (not shown) to expose the name and address on an enclosure in order to save addressing of the envelope.

The front panel 11 is provided with a conventional top closure flap 14 joined thereto along a fold line 15 which defines the top edge of the completed envelope. The top closure flap 14 is provided with a strip of adhesive 16 by which it is sealed to the back panel 12 by applying a 3,322,329 Patented May 30, 1967 moistening agent thereto. As an alternative, the closure flap 14 may be provided with a pressure sealing adhesive to provide an instant contact seal if desired. With the use of a pressure sealing gum, no moisture is, of course, required.

Front panel 11 has connected thereto at its extremities the side panels or flaps 17 and 18 as clearly shown in FIG. 2. These side panels are connected to the front panel along the fold lines 19 and 20, which fold lines define the side edges of the complete envelope as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the side panels or flaps is provided with an outwardly extending tab portion 21 adapted to be rasped by the user and to facilitate the opening of the envelope as later described. A strip of adhesive 22, preferably of the moisture sensitive type, is provided on each of the side panels adjacent to the fold lines 19 and 24) but spaced inwardly from the tab portion 21.

As noted in FIG. 2, the back panel 12 is provided with a tear-out portion 25 defined by a series of serrations or perforations. These serrations preferably comprise a plurality of closely spaced vertical staggered rOWs 23 formed by a die cutting machine or the like and serration rows 24 extending from the extremities of the perforations 23 and angled toward the outer edge of the envelope. The relative dimensions of the tear-out portion 25 as defined by the serrations 23 and 24 is such that when the envelope is assembled as shown in FIG. 3, the gummed portion 22 will be surrounded by the serrations which will be spaced somewhat outwardly from the outer portions of the gummed area. This is clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In order to assemble the envelope, the back panel is folded upwardly about the fold line 13 and the side panels or flaps 17 and 18 are folded inwardly over the back panel and the gummed adhesive portion 22 is moistened and pressed in place within the tear-out portion 25 on the rear of the rectangular back panel 12. The envelope is now completely assemble-d and will accept conventional mailing matter or the like. After the contents have been placed within the envelope, the gummed strip 16 is moistened and the closure flap 14 folded downwardly about fold line 15 and sealed to the rectangular back panel. It will be noted that each side flap has an extending tongue portion adapted to underlie the closure flap when it is sealed.

It should be noted that although the drawings disclose both ends of the envelope formed with the new tear-out portion of the instant invention, the same may, if desired, only be employed at one end of the envelope.

When the user desires to open the envelope to remove the contents, he merely grips the extending tab portion 21 which is not secured to the rectangular back portion 12 and pulls outwardly. Since the gummed portion 22, is firmly secured within the tear-out portion 25, the force on the tab portion 21 will cause the tear-out portion 25 to separate along the perforation lines 23 and 24 and leave the entire end of the envelope open as shown in FIG. 5. Since the envelope is not torn in any manner transverse to its general axis, there is no pos sibility that the contents will be damaged and further, the envelope is not destroyed and may be used as a permanent receptacle for the contents. This feature will be of great utility for storing deposit slips, insurance policies, legal documents, and other important papers.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, it is to be understood that the drawing and detailed disclosure are to be construed in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense since various modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

What We claim as our invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an envelope, a front panel, a back panel, an end flap on each end of said front panel and adapted to overlie said back panel, and means to facilitate the opening of the envelope for the extraction of the contents thereof, said means comprising three parallel closely spaced rows of generally vertical die-cut perforations on said back panel spaced from one end of said back panel, the perforations in adjacent rows being offset with respect to each other, a row of perforations on said back panel extending from the extremities of said series of vertical perforations to said one end to define a tear-off portion, a glued area on one of said end flaps received and adhesively secured entirely Within said tear-off portion, and a tab portion on said one end flap extending beyond said series of vertical perforations, and a closure flap ex- 4 tending from the top of said front panel and being adhesively secured to said back panel.

2. In an envelope as defined in claim 1, wherein said end flaps have a tongue portion underlying said closure flap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/ 1908 Smith 22985 3/ 1958 Heywood 229-85 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,424 12/1959 Australia. 319,677 7/1934 Italy.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Examiner. 

1. IN AN ENVELOPE, A FRONT PANEL, A BACK PANEL, AN END FLAP ON EACH END OF SAID FRONT PANEL AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE SAID BACK PANEL, AND MEANS TO FACILITATE THE OPENING OF THE ENVELOPE FOR THE EXTRACTION OF THE CONTENTS THEREOF, SAID MEANS COMPRISING THREE PARALLEL CLOSELY SPACED ROWS OF GENERALLY VERTICAL DIE-CUT PERFORATIONS ON SAID BACK PANEL SPACED FROM ONE END OF SAID BACK PANEL, THE PERFORATIONS IN ADJACENT ROWS BEING OFFSET WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, A ROW OF PERFORATIONS ON SAID BACK PANEL EXTENDING FROM THE EXTREMITIES OF SAID SERIES OF VERTICAL PERFORATIONS TO SAID ONE END TO DEFINE A TEAR-OFF PORTION, A GLUED AREA ON ONE OF SAID END FLAPS RECEIVED AND ADHESIVELY SECURED ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID TEAR-OFF PORTION, AND A TAB PORTION ON SAID ONE END FLAP EXTENDING BEYOND SAID SERSIES TO VERTICAL PERFORATIONS, AND A CLOSURE FLAP EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF SAID FRONT PANEL AND BEING ADHESIVELY SECURED TO SAID BACK PANEL. 